20101028

Two Drifters, Off To See The World

It was a few hours before we were to check out of the hospital, and we were drowsily watching the tug boats on the East River out our window, Huck and I, as storm clouds blew past in the sky. My mother's flight from Portland was delayed by those heavy clouds, and I was wondering whether we would get pizza for dinner when she finally landed, and as I thought about clouds and pizza I stroked my lips softly along the top of this warm, brown, fuzzy head--this brown fuzzy head that somehow belonged to me--inhaling his soft baby scent, feeling like every muscle in my body was smiling.

The clouds suddenly parted above the river, and out peeked the most brilliant rainbow. It arched from Roosevelt Island, over our little recovery room at NY Presbyterian Hospital, to some unknown rainbow's end, like a fulfilled promise. Just the day before, as I labored to deliver my own fulfilled promise, my mom texted me to tell me that the Portland skies were filled with rainbows, for my Huckleberry friend and me. And now the rainbows had come to New York. And as I looked down at that brown fuzzy brown head of mine, under that bright, beautiful rainbow, I thought I could hear the Spirit whisper to me that he was mine, and that he'd been saved just for me. That I was made to be his, too.

So beautiful. Congratulations, and I wish you all the happiness in the world with your perfect little Huck. We just had our first baby six months ago(!!! how has it possibly already been six months?) after waiting and wishing and hoping for her for almost 4 years, and thinking it was never going to happen. It doesn't get better than being a mom, I hope that you enjoy every minute of it. I love his middle name, and the story behind it. It brought tears to my eyes both times I read it.

Your baby is beautiful. I started reading your blog when you were having trouble concieving and to see this, well this is absolutely amazing. I love the middle name that you picked! The whole name flows together beautifully! I've always loved the name August because in elementary school a boy I knew had that name. So baby Huck is just a cute nick name then?

Oh Natalie- tears filled my eyes reading this post. Because, I can totally relate. And, isn't it just so strange, this new person Huck has made you? Isn't it so beyond this earth? And, its like all the stars were in line and the world stopped moving. The taxis stopped, the lines at the coffee shop and bookstore stopped, the bills stopped, phones...everything. And, he was BORN! And, YOU did it! Oh what a joyful time. Thank you so much for sharing. I know the prayers in your heart have been joyfully answered. MUAH! Love ya!!!!!

Way to go lady!!! You did it!! Those Holbrook boy babies sure take a long time to arrive (2.5 hours of pushing for mine)! I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ridiculously happy for you. Love from NC!

What an amazing journey for you all....I have been following you for over a year and a half...this post moved me so because that first pregnancy, that first birth, the first of everything to come is as dear as that small baby in your arms. To nuzzle, kiss, cry and laugh over...blessings to you...blessings of joy and love....now go and love that baby boy and your hubby...

I honestly teared up a little bit reading this... the post about August, and the rainbow, it's way too much! BEAUTIFUL! Thank you for sharing this beautiful moment. You give me hope that soon it will be my turn too.And Henry August is a wonderful name :-)

Congratulations, again! Congratulations, a thousand times! He's picture perfect. I'm so happy for you! I'm relatively new to your blog, but I just finished reading from the beginning, and I know now how much this precious bundle means to you. I'm sure you're already the most wonderful new mother. This post is so heartwarming. Thanks so much for sharing moments of your lovely life with us--you make me very, very excited for the day I become a mother as well!

Natalie, you are an ambassador for childless-women-who-wish-we-weren't. Thankyou so very much for your compelling, honest writing that makes the waiting easier for the rest of us - it is a wonderful gift and reading the comments here I can tell you touch the lives of many. You truly deserve that sweet little baby and I wish your family all the joy in the world.

He is so beautiful. It makes my arms ache just looking at him. Enjoy every minute. My little boy is not so little any more and I miss him just laying on my chest sleeping. Best wishesTell your mom I said hi Christeena (foote) Montierth. She was one of my yw leaders in mesa.

Natalie, thanks for this post. I am 13 weeks pregnant and have really been struggling with thoughts that I just can't do it (this will be my 4th in 6 years)...I really wanted another baby, but once it happened I've kind of freaked out a little..and I am hoping it is just hormones. But, reading this post made me remember that Heavenly Father has immpeccable timing and these sweet little spirits that become our children have a purpose and a plan and it really will be just fine. I probably sound like a raving lunatic, but a dusty old light bulb flickered when I read this post, so thank you. Your little Huck is adorable and I am so happy for you! Congratulations!

I don't even know what to say to you right now - other than YAAAAAAY!!! I LOVE the picture of you getting him, and didn't even have to watch the Audrey Hepburn video to make myself cry. We're so happy for you...and for the Holbsdaddy...and, of course, for Huck. Welcome to the world, little man!!!

Is it creepy to say I love him? It's creepy, I know it is, but I've read you for so long now and having done that, it's just so good to see that ache fulfilled and to see him born, and to see your face seeing his for the first time... it's hard to not have an emotional burst of love in your general direction. :) I'm just so happy for you all!

oh nat, this post brought tears to my eyes :) happy tears, of course. i am so happy that you can finally hold your baby in your arms. you deserve every bit of motherly happiness in the world :) and i love his name. LOVE. excellent job :)

Congratulations, Natalie!!! He's beautiful and wonderful and precious and everything a baby should be and more. Oh, and one handsome little devil. His grandpa Randy should be proud.

By the way, baby scent is the best smell in the world! I'd forgotten all about it by the time Tamsin arrived, and for DAYS we couldn't stop sniffing her tiny fuzzy little head and remembering Camryn as a baby. It's intoxicating, really.

Yay again! The Taylor family has been hoping and praying for you for so long. We're so glad your little boy came home to stay. Give your mom a hug from my mom and tell her that, according to Karen, being a grandma is the best thing in the WORLD.

Okay, one more comment and then I'll stop gushing like a loon. I LOVE the middle name you chose. I didn't get the meaning of it at first (although I figured there must be), but then I reread that older post you provided the link for, and I nearly cried. It's just so perfectly perfect. You and your Holbsy are just too adorable for words.

I haven't commented in quite awhile, but I had to say what a beautiful and poetic choice for his middle name. I totally see the symobolism!

Your Holbs did a great job of capturing the look on your face the first time you saw Henry. I am also amazed how your nurse could have been your long-lost sister, she definitely looked a bit like you. I wonder if anyone else noticed that?

Nat, you have a baby! He's beauuutiful! And your little song post there made me tear up. Could you have picked a more perfect song? I wish the three of you ALL the rainbow happiness in the world! ...a perfect story.

Hey Natalie, I’ve been a faithful lurker of your little world here for quite possibly more than a year (when you see Italy popping up in your stats…that’s me). Now I’ve decided to cut the ‘lurking’ habit and just plain out follow because…well today I read this last post you wrote and I couldn’t help but shed a tear of joy for your dream. It is rather funny if you think about it, don’t you think? You don’t even know who I am, but I sort of think I know bits and pieces of you, and even though we live thousands of miles apart you still managed to move me…I read through your insecurities when you couldn’t get pregnant, I felt the sorrow behind your words when you were on the verge of despair (is that the right the word? - Sorry, English: not my first language), I felt the joy when you finally did get pregnant, and then the restlessness before giving birth to your precious little jewel…I felt all those things along with you, and today those were real tears on my face, salty and everything. Thanks for letting us share your little slice of heaven, thanks for showing us how a person like the rest in a place in a time can go through ordinary life (with its moments of extraordinary) and do it with fierce strength and faith, thank you. And of course CONGRATULATIONS to you and that Holbs of yours. You’re going to bring up a brilliant kid, we all know that. Welcome to the world little guy! xx

natalie, i'm so incredibly happy for youu (:i thought i was anxious for baby Huck to finally be born, but it must've been completely different for you ! i think he's one of the most beautiful babies i've ever seen, & i lalalovee the name henryy :)and in that last picture, i couldn't tell if you were the nurse or the person on the bed. it took me a while to realize that you wouldn't be standing up at that point (:

This is hands down your best post, and I go back to read it every now and then. It just sums up so much love, patience to have your baby and the empowering feeling of becoming a Mom with a little baby. I don't know why, I just love it. Thanks for sharing.

This is my favorite blog post, maybe ever. I've only been a reader of your blog for about 2 years now, and I love reading your archived posts on occasion... "old" words by date, but "new" to me. Finding a post that I haven't yet discovered is always a little bit like Christmas for me. And as I make my way through these old posts, searching for something new to read, I always come back to this post. Beautiful isn't strong enough a word to describe it.